The reason for an asthmatic to suffer from a breakdown are mentioned below:

Airway Inflammation

It makes an asthmatic airways in the lungs red, swollen and narrow that is exposed to a certain stimulus (i.e., inhaled allergen like grass pollen). The airways become inflamed, swollen and plugged with mucus, thus making their opening considerably smaller and more difficult for air to get through. The worst sufferers remain small children and old people. The aim of treatment is to reduce this inflammation and prevent further injury to the airway.

Bronchoconstriction

Takes place when one’s muscles that encircle the airways tighten or go into spasm.  The muscle fibre surrounding airways when exposed to a certain stimuli (such as cold air or vigorous exercise) gets contracted. The same makes the airway opening considerably smaller. The aim of treatment is to reduce this inflammation and prevent further injury to the airway.

Two factors provoke Asthma

1.	Triggers result in tightening of the airways (bronchoconstriction).
2.	Causes (or inducers) result in inflammation of the airways.

Triggers

Triggers irritate the airways and result in bronchoconstriction. Triggers do not cause inflammation and therefore do not cause asthma. Symptoms and bronchoconstriction caused by triggers tend to be immediate, short-lived, and rapidly reversible. Airways will react more quickly to triggers if inflammation is already present in the airways.

Common triggers of bronchoconstriction include everyday stimuli such as:

	Cold air
	Dust
	Strong fumes
	Exercise
	Inhaled Irritants
	Emotional Upsets
	Smoke - Smoke acts as a very strong trigger. Second-hand smoke has been shown to aggravate asthma symptoms, especially in children. The effects of one cigarette linger in the home for 7 days, and therefore it is very important to provide a SMOKE-FREE HOME for all children. In fact, some health care workers feel that smoking in a home where there is a child with asthma is a form of child abuse.

Children should not be exposed to a polluted environment over which they have no control.

Causes or Inducers

In contrast to triggers, inducers cause both airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness and hence are recognized as causes of asthma.  Inducers result in symptoms which may last longer, are delayed and less easily reversible than those caused by triggers.

The most common inducers are:

Allergens - Respiratory viral infections, Allergens - Inhalant allergens are the most important inducer or cause of inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. Probably 75-80% of young asthmatics are allergic.

The most common inhaled allergens include: pollen (grasses, trees and weeds) animal secretions (cats and horses tend to be to the most allergen causing) molds house dust mites Exposure to an allergen (e.g. cat secretions) may cause immediate symptoms such as wheeze or cough. This occurs because airways are hyperresponsive and react by tightening. These symptoms can easily be relieved by a bronchodilator. However, about 4 and 7-8 hours after exposure to the secretion, a late response occurs which is caused by the inflammation.

This inflammation develops over time. Because of the late response, it is often difficult for the patient and physician to identify what is actually causing the asthma. Respiratory Viral Infections In children, respiratory viral infections may cause a deterioration in his or her asthma. A respiratory viral infection is probably one of the most common causes of asthma.